CCLeaner - is it good or bad?!

Anonymous
2011-02-14T14:41:39+00:00

Will the program CCLeaner remove software that I uses?

Can I be sure that the program only remove things that I don`t need?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2011-02-15T07:14:38+00:00

Hi,

I Use CCleaner and it has caused no issues and should not with any of those programs.

I don't use the Registry Cleaner function and if I did I would certainly Create a Restore

Point before using and also use the CCleaner backup process. Problem is some of the

Registry issues that might be caused do not show up immediately.

Cleaner function  - yes

Registry Cleaner function - not recommended

CCleaner also has a Support Forum where others might help.

Piriform Software Forums - CCleaner and others.

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?act=idx

=======================================================

Here's a tip you didn't ask about :

Low cost 3rd party software firewalls are pretty much problems waiting to happen. They all have

compatibility issues and offer only a few enhanced controls. In fact their issues often actually lower

the overall security instead of raising it. The Windows Firewall has no compatibility issues and is

extremely secure if you know enough to bypass most of the hype. Quality software firewalls cost

thousands. Most routers have hardware firewalls built in and those are considerably better additions

for the buck than any cheap/low cost software firewall.

How to Change the Windows Firewall Notification Settings in Windows 7 - also see the related articles

section at the just before the reply section.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/523-windows-firewall-change-notification-settings.html

How to Manage Windows 7 Firewall.

http://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-manage-windows-7-firewall

How to Use Windows Firewall With Advanced Security in Vista (also Windows 7)

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/92748-windows-firewall-advanced-security.html

What's new in the Windows 7 Firewall?

http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Whats-new-Windows-7-Firewall.html

Here is what I use and recommend : (These are all Free versions and very effective.) 

Avast and Prevx have proven extremely reliable and compatible with everything I have

thrown at them. Microsoft Security Essentials and Prevx have also proven to be very

reliable and compatible. Use MSE and Prevx or Avast and Prevx however not all 3.

Avast Home Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web, and

Network running.

Prevx - Home - Free

Windows Firewall

Windows Defender (not needed if using MSE)

IE - Protected Mode

IE 8 - SmartScreen Filter ON  (IE 7 Phishing Filter)

I also have IE to always start with InPrivate Filter active if IE 8.

(You occasionally have to turn it temporarily off with the little Icon on LEFT of the + bottom

right of IE)

Two versions of Avast are available 5.x and 4.8x

Avast 5.x - Home - Free - Stop the Shields you do not use (except File, Web, Network, &

Behavior) - double click the Orange Icon in Notification Area - Real Time Shields - click the

Shield you want to stop - STOP. To stop the Orange Icon from showing an error indicator -

click the Orange Icon - Upper Right - Settings - click Status Bar - uncheck the Shields you

disabled - click OK

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download

Avast 4.8x - Home - Free - stop any shields you do not need except leave Standard, Web,

and Network running. (Double Click Blue icon - details next to OK. - upper left Shields -

Terminate those you do not use.)

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download#tab4

Or use Microsoft Security Essentials - Free

http://www.microsoft.com/Security\_Essentials/

Prevx works well along side Avast or MSE

Prevx - Home - Free small, fast, exceptional CLOUD protection, works with other security

programs. This is a scanner only, VERY EFFECTIVE, if it finds something come back here

or use Google to see how to remove. 

http://www.prevx.com/   <-- information

http://info.prevx.com/downloadcsi.asp  <-- download

PCmag - Prevx - Editor'a Choice

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346862,00.asp

Also get Malwarebytes - free - use as scanner only. If you ever suspect malware, and that

would be unsual with Avast and Prevx running except for an occasional low level cookie

(no big deal), UPDATE it and then run it as a scanner. I have many scanners and they

never find anything of note since I started using this setup.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-01-17T17:28:44+00:00

    I'd say that is a normal popup that occurs installing all software :)

    Back to the question at hand,           

    Although I've never had the need to use ccleaner,

    I can see the danger in using utilities which a user might not know what it really does/ removes,

    I'm not a hater but is it really necessary ?

    Noting the best thing to do to New computers these days is to buy a full version disk and format/ erase the hard drive along with all of the crapware installed and reload/ fresh install of windows 7....

    Makes for a much faster more secure machine,

    So ccleaner would not be needed.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-01-17T14:08:09+00:00

    The controversial component in cCleaner is the registry cleaning. Use cCleaner without using the registry cleaner.

    A better programme than Disk CleanUp is cCleaner. cCleaner comes with a Registry tool. Do not use this tool as like any registry cleaner it can lead to the creation of very difficult to resolve system errors.

    http://www.ccleaner.com/download

    1.9. When you open cCleaner you will see four large icons to the left of the window. These are Cleaner, Registry, Tools, and Options. For routine maintenance you would normally access Cleaner (this is not the Registry Cleaner mentioned later). When using for the first time you can just accept the default settings.

    1.10. Some comments on settings. On my computer I do not have boxes before Saved Passwords selected. In a less secure environment you might check this option and set cCleaner to automatically run on starting the computer. You may also not want to check boxes before Start Menu Shortcuts, Desktop Shortcuts and Autocomplete Form History. You need to check the boxes to suit your requirements. Getting options wrong first time causes irritants not disasters.

    1.11. The second icon you see when you open cCleaner is Registry. One reservation many experienced users have regarding cCleaner is that it comes with a Registry Cleaner. This tool should not be used. Using a Registry Cleaner, however good it is, provides negligible benefits and there is always the risk of creating insoluble system errors, which can only be resolved by reinstalling the operating system and all that entails. You avoid any possible problems by not clicking on the Registry icon.

    1.12 The third icon you see when you open cCleaner is Tools. If you click on this icon it gives you access to further routine maintenance options. The first two tools are Uninstall and Startup. I do not use these Tools, preferring to use other software options. The third Tool is System Restore, which is covered in the next paragraph. The fourth tool is Drive Wiper and you will find comments on this Tool later

    1.13 Removing System Restore points can be important if you have limited free disk space. The ability to remove them is one of the Tools options. You can selectively remove those created at less important times. This makes it easier to hold restore points for longer periods without retaining large unwanted files, which the inflexible approach adopted by Disk CleanUp fails to offer.

    1.14. You cannot remove the latest restore point using Disk CleanUp or cCleaner. If the latest restore point contains malware you can turn off and then turn system restore back on. This has the disadvantage that all restore points are removed when you may wish to retain older restore points that are not infected. The way to get round this problem is to create a new restore point when you are satisfied your computer is free of malware and then remove the infected restore point.

    1.15. In normal circumstances you most likely will rarely need to use Driver Wiper. However, there are some situations like if you were giving the computer to someone else, then the Tool might be useful. Please note that Drive Wiper, when opened, generates a warning message, which should not be dismissed lightly. Using Drive Wiper for the wrong reason could have serious consequences!

    1.16. The fourth icon is labelled Options. A lot of configuration options are available there. You can set cCleaner to run when you boot but remember this will slow the boot. Another setting enables you to include / exclude cookies. Yet another enables named files to be excluded

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-01-17T13:39:18+00:00

    I have windows 8 and using trend micro maximum security ony.

    can i use ccleaner to clean my pc

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-08-29T16:32:10+00:00

    Because they do not need one, my own answer obviously, and I do not work for Microsoft. Just build a fast computer with lots of memory. It's always fast, as long as you don't get a virus. I use MSE it works great at protecting me against viruses and it's free. Windows rules, Ha Ha

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